Yossef Av-Gay, Division of Infectious
Diseases, University of British Columbia, Canada
on Tuberculosis 2006

"Very enjoyable and stimulating small meeting. Great
opportunity for an introductory exploration of rural and
city West Africa."

Jeremy M. Sternberg, School of Biological Sciences,
University of Aberdeen, UK on Kinetoplastid Diseases 2006

Please also read Jerry Sternberg's
expertly written conference report on
Kinetoplastid Diseases 2006 - the
report was written for and is
published in the July 2006
edition of The Newsletter of the British Society for
Parasitology (http://www.bsp.uk.net)

“I enjoyed this wonderful meeting in the exotic
Gambia. I had the opportunity to meet recognized people in
a “familiar” environment. I would like to highlight the
excellent organization of the meeting as well as the never
ending help of the organizer to solve every problem before and
during our staying in the country. An unforgettable
experience.”

Horacio Bach, Division of Infectious
Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada on Tuberculosis 2006

"A most unusual - and most enjoyable - meeting! And an
eye-opener for those without prior exposure to Africa.
Participants may expect to have their vision of the world a bit
shaken. This made the meeting an exciting "conference with
a difference"! And a "conference with a difference" for
still another reason: no invited speakers, no program, no
stress - and yet a meeting of first rate scientific level,
thanks to the quality of the participants and of their
presentations."

"Dr. England [of Mangosteen] has a wonderful ability to make
people at ease and solve the little problems that may arise,
both before and during the meeting. Welcoming each
participant at the airport - whatever the time of the flight,
day or night: how nice - and helpful! From the beginning
(getting visas, etc.) until the very last moment, always present
if you needed a helping hand !

"Everything was very well organized, we had nice lodgings and
it was easy for us to get around for meals and sightseeing.
The organizer went out of his way to accomodate different
interests very flexibly. My co-participants were great and
the opportunities to interact and discuss with them were
unprecedented. In spite of my reluctance to go - because
of the journey, which was just as bad as I expected - I liked
the tranquility of Tendaba. You could have the whole meeting
there."

"The Tuberculosis 2006 meeting in The Gambia was fabulous for
me because as a relatively small meeting I was able to discuss
science with top researchers in the field and with researchers
who see tuberculosis every day. The information I learned and
the collaborations I was able to set up will prove invaluable.
It was remarkable as well to see the resourcefulness of the
[locally based] researchers working with so few resources -
making their own media from day old eggs etc. In addition, the
Gambian people were amazingly friendly and generous with their
time."

"From our first contact to now, I should recognize the
efforts you [Mangosteen] deployed to let us be informed about
the meeting organisation and outcome. As for the organisation
per se It was for me the best scientific meeting I ever
attended. The meeting was simple, convivial and very
informative."

“The meeting was a unique and educational opportunity to view
the study of enteric pathogens from a different perspective.”

Laura Runyen-Janecky, University of Richmond, USA on
Bacterial Gastroenteritis 2006

"The meeting has been well organized. The contact with
researchers involved in different aspects of the tuberculosis
was really exiting and worthy. Indeed a new collaboration that
will be able to enrich our research, is coming on."

"After hearing from the Head of my Department about
Kinetoplastid Diseases 2006, I submitted an abstract and it was
a nice experience to interact with Dr. Anthony England – the
organizer [president of Mangosteen]. He was very
cooperative and proactive in helping and clearing all sorts of
matters in rapid communication."

"The organization of the meeting was very inimitable by
bringing the participants very close to each other, thus, giving
a look of a family. The quality of the papers presented was high
in terms of currents era and technology. The presenters were
eminent scientists in their fields and this meeting really
enhanced my vision after listening learned researchers. I really
enjoyed science and adventure in West Africa."

“My first participation in an international scientific
meeting came true through Kinetoplastid Diseases 2006 with a
tasty and unique amalgam of scientific presentations/
interaction and adventure under the auspices of Mangosteen.”

"Great and varied discussions on TB: not only a global
perspective, but a really multidisciplinary approach too it
also."

Alexander Aiken, Medical Research Council (MRC)
Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia on Tuberculosis 2006

"The Kinetoplastid diseases meeting was my first travel to
Africa and it was really a different experience for me coming
from South America. Although Senegal and Gambia are not
easy places to deal with, the organization was very good and
allowed us to enjoy our stage helping in any detail."

"Attending the Tuberculosis conference was a very worthwhile
experience. As an African based researcher it provided me
with the opportunity to interact with professionals from both
developed and developing countries. This provided great
insight in to tuberculosis research from a range of
perspectives. The informal, but professional programme
encouraged discussion that has resulted in us initiating a
number of collaborations with other participants.
Additionally, I was impressed by the determined efforts of the
organisers to help attendees visit relevant medical
institutions, local doctors and generally experience life in a
developing African country. I would recommend anyone with
an interest in applying their research knowledge and experience
to participate in a Mangosteen conference."

Claire Geoghegan, Mammal Research Institute, University of
Pretoria, South Africa on Tuberculosis 2006

"No doubt I liked the meeting and the quality of presentation
was simple best and it was also a great experience for me to
discuss the subject with highly experienced scientists like
Robert Hunter, Yossef Av-Gay, Thomas Keller and other
international scientific community and I would like to say
thanks for all these to you."

"Concerning the TB meeting in the Gambia, it was a small
group meeting that I found very interesting. I was attending a
TB meeting for the first time and I could easily integrate
myself to the group. Breaking the ice was so appropriate to
start with. Congratulation for the organization!"

"I have wanted to go to Africa for longer than I would like
to admit. This was an ideal first experience. I had
such a good time and the added bonus was that the science was
good too. Standing under a baobab at sunset looking at a
bushpig's front door, kingfishers, herons, red colobus, the buzz
and colour of Banjul. Tremendous!
It was brilliant that you took the time to talk to me directly.
I was very grateful to you for putting me in touch with Claire
and Helen so that Dakar overnight was less intimidating.
The overall organization was great, the venue beautiful and I
was thrilled to go to Tendaba."

"It was a good and essential experience to visit Africa.
Dealing with human pathogens, we ought to have a global
perspective when developing diagnostic tools or vaccines.
Thus I was glad to meet people living and working in a different
environment but having the same goals. Also, it was
wonderful to meet outstanding scientists from industrialized
countries tuned to the same wavelength.

"Tuberculosis 2006 was an excellent meeting, well organized,
very innovative, very challenging and most importantly, packaged
and delivered in the beautiful and serene little West African
City of Banjul. I am certain we are all eagerly looking forward
to TB 2008. I hope too, the meeting will take place in The
Gambia."

Dozie Ikechukwu, Department of Microbiology, Imo State
University Owerri, Nigeria on Tuberculosis 2006

"The meeting offered me an ideal environment to learn about
gastroenteritis and the complications been experience globally
with all the possible method undertaken towards finding
solutions to gastroenteritis infections."

"The talks made on Salmonella enteritidis and on
Helicobacter pylori were quite interesting offering new
methods to study these organisms and they gave a great
background on the molecular epidemiology of these diseases.
Attending them was very much worth doing and I think as a
laboratory technician at the medical research council, it
offered a great exposure to the scientific community and is a
great rouse towards my future endeavors."

"Mangosteen provided the opportunity for me to meet quality
scientists that shared a passion for their medicine and for the
poor. My career has been benefited greatly by my experience at
this conference."

"Mangosteen understands the relationship between first world
medicine and the third world situation."

Olumuyiwa Odusanya, Lagos State University College of
Medicine, Nigeria on Hepatitis 2006

"...the conference was important in the sense that it
provided an opportunity for scientist from different parts of
the world to interact and learning from one another their
various approaches towards research on topics associated
Bacterial Gastroenteritis. It exposed them to different methods
or strategies of carrying out research on important topics like
Bacterial Gastroenteritis."

"The conference was organized and conducted well. Thanks."

Jerro Saidykhan, University of The Gambia on Bacterial
Gastroenteritis 2006

Contact Us

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at any time, about any aspect
of the Meeting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A list of Frequently Asked Questions on
all possible aspects of the meeting(s) can be found on the following pages -